After coming off a 66-42 loss in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the problems from week one’s performance against Southeastern Louisiana have continued in the second game of the season.

The Cajuns allowed 343 rushing yards to Southeastern and a total of 514 offensive yards. Starting running back for SLU, Eugene Bethea, rushed for 187 yards on 23 attempts. Bethea added two touchdowns, as well.

Louisiana has given up a combined 1,181 yards to opposing teams in just two weeks of the regular season.

Cajuns head coach Mark Hudspeth spoke about the defense after the loss to Tulsa.

“Right now, we’re not playing good defensively at all,” Hudspeth said.

Although the offense has produced well for Hudspeth, the defense has gotten off to a lackluster start. Louisiana’s offense ranks second in the Sun Belt Conference in total yards, with 959 in two games. They lead the conference in points per game with an average of 46.5.

The offense has combined for 93 points in two games, but the defense has given up 114.

“We’re not in the right spots. We’re not tackling. We’re not playing good fundamentals,” Hudspeth said after the Tulsa game. “That’s been really disappointing for the first two games.”

On Sept. 4, 2016, coach Hudspeth fired former defensive coordinator Melvin Smith after a 45-10 loss to Boise State. Linebackers coach Mike Lucas replaced Smith and stepped in as the new defensive coordinator.

Lucas stated before the 2017 season started he wanted the Cajuns to be the “number one swarm defense.”

After two weeks, the games and statistics have not shown the statement come to fruition.

The Cajuns are set to play against Texas A&M in College Station, Texas, on Sept. 16. The Texas A&M Aggies stand at 1-1 on the season after a 45-44 loss to UCLA and a 24-14 victory against Nicholls State. The Aggies are averaging 34 points per game, while allowing opponents to score an average of 29.5 points. They are led in rushing by sophomore Trayveon Williams. Williams has 256 yards on 33 carries, which equates to 7.8 yards per carry.

Hudspeth is hoping the positive play of the offense can carry over to the defensive side.

“If we can continue to improve offensively like we’ve done in the last two weeks and find a way defensively to get a little bit better, this team has a good chance to be a good football team,” Hudspeth said. “Right now, we’re not.”